County landfill odor still bothering residents

For many residents living near the Orange County Landfill, the rancid odor emitted by the landfill has been a problem for over a year now. The odor racked up dozens of complaints last year and residents in nearby suburbs on Young Pine Road where the landfill is located still said it was a problem now when asked by Orlando Rising on Wednesday.

For those eager for answers, a new Odor Control Plan with the county’s findings so far will be published this month, according to Orange County Utilities Community & Media Relations Representative Jamie Floer.

The county figured out what was causing the problem last fall – a mixing of construction and demolition waste and municipal solid waste, according to a presentation at a Feb. 17 community outreach meeting.

Since then, the county has made clear to residents that it’s trying to move forward and address the problem.

Their strategy so far is multi-faceted, according to Floer. A PowerPoint presentation by the County from a meeting last October lists some of the county’s aims, including using more soil cover, using odor neutralizers and upgrading and maintaining the storm water drainage system.

Long term goals, the presentation states, include minimizing acceptance of sludge at the landfill and capping portions of the landfill as they reach certain levels of elevation.

Floer said there will be another public meeting about the odor “in the May-June timeframe.”